Indulgence

letting the days go by

Billie Myers from Am I Here Yet? (Return to Sender) (written by David Tyson and Billie Myers)
Straight ahead isn't always forward

I watched Tony Scott's Domino yesterday with Berna. Had a great time. Loved the violence, loved the vulgarity and I certainly love the direction. I like the fast cuts, highly enhanced colours, fast pacing, repetition of sound and the music. It was a visual and aural treat and watching Keira Knightley kick-ass was really cool. I'm beginning to disfavour women in movies who are tougher than the men, unless of course they are the leads, then that's fine; but lately, I'm missing the women who can just hold out on their own, equally. Rachel Weisz in The Mummy or Runaway Jury is the best example I can think up of on the fly of a girl who can hold out on her own without stealing the show. Michelle Yeoh in that James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies was cool and all, but hey! It's a James Bond film, he should be cooler. He is Mr. 007 after all, you know?

But in Domino, I like the whole tough chick persona of Keira Knightley's character. Considering also that it is based on a true story (how much is fiction and how much is fact is up to you; there are certain things that are over the top, but I like how it builds up that at the point it get's unrealistic, you're already at a point that you can accept anything), it kind of prepares you for whatever you're going to experience. And I like the build up. It gets crazier and crazier and you accept everything because you are prepared for it. I liked that about the film. Good direction.

I've been spending so much time with Berna lately. I guess it is easy being in the same office and all but I think even if one of us ended up leaving and working somewhere else, I think I'd still make a conscious effort to see her at least once a week. If anything, I love her ability to detach and separate work and the personal. Any problem we may find ourselves in work never intrudes into our personal relationship. I admire that from someone. I think it is a great sign of maturity. At the same time, I respect her individuality and her need for personal growth; which I think is important, very important. In fact, I think that a person who holds on to their individuality and their need for personal growth is a person who can have proper relationships (be it friends or lovers or whatever) because that person is aware that other people grow and change too. I don't thank her enough (and not that she'd let me) but we've come to the point where we can walk from the Ayala MRT station to Greenbelt without talking and it wouldn't be uncomfortable. We've reached a point of comfortable silence. Because of proximity, we can talk about nothing and still enjoy ourselves even though we know it's probably going to happen again the next day. And, if we don't hang out or see each other, it's okay too. I love it, I enjoy it. It's easy and comfortable being with her and it's nice to have a friend like that.

Finished reading The Picture of Dorian Gray last night. I expected as much but it was well-written and definitely, Oscar Wilde tried to put in as much sound bites as he could regarding his little theories of the world. I could see myself filling my blog with epigrams from that book. And I probably would. But not in this entry, it would be too obvious. 7 books down and 3 to go and my good friend Morx told me to get an Alice Munro book, as she is one of the best short story writers present right now. So I'll be off to the bookstore very soon to get one.

Books have been such a joy lately that I end up trying to meet everyone during weekday nights so that I have time to read during the weekends. I'd rather not go out. If I need to dance or to dress up and look lovely, I can still do that on a weekday night -- Thursday or Friday. But my Saturdays have been reserved for moments like reading, that way I can spend the whole afternoon and evening with a book. And then savour the hour or two after finishing it. I can just allow myself to think. Sundays, I'm reserving for family and, well, my zips training which I haven't done in a while. I was in the beach one Sunday and then my trainer was in the beach the following. I won't be able to go this Sunday because I've got work and the following weekend, I'll be in Bacolod.

I can't wait to go to Bacolod. A time to see my Mom and my sister and my brothers and my nephew and niece and my cousins. Strange to fill my Sundays with my family and still have other family that I haven't seen in a long time far away. I think this will be a great trip and weddings are always such joyous occasions. If only one didn't need to wear leather shoes and a barong. I've never been a formal-wear kind of guy. I hate leather shoes. It's hard to dance in them and they hurt your feet after. But then again, that's just me.

(picture of Berna and me by Anne Rodriguez. Taken back in 2004, around November)
(picture of me reading by Romyr. I never really got his last name, friend of Jaypee)

posted by wanggo @ 2:45 PM